THE UK’s biggest citizen science project has been recording the winners and losers in the garden bird world for over four decades with the help of half a million people, and now the RSPB is counting on Cheshire residents to join in too.
Set to enter its 42nd year this month, the largest wildlife survey in the world, the Big Garden Birdwatch, runs from January 29-31 and combines over 40 years of records to monitor vital bird trends.
People across Cheshire are set to get involved, spending just an hour of their time recording the birds that land as seen from their windows, balconies or gardens, and submitting their results to the wildlife charity.
This year, we’ve seen how important the natural world is to our mental health and wellbeing, with a surge of interest in the nature on our doorsteps seeing many people come to rely on garden birds to bring joy and comfort in these unsettling times.
That’s why the RSPB is hoping to see more people than ever take part, after over 10,800 Cheshire residents took part last year.
Both across the country and here in Cheshire, house sparrows topped the rankings in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch results last year, despite wider national decline.
Meanwhile, blue tits and blackbirds joined house sparrows to form the top three most sighted birds in the county.
A common garden bird thanks to the provision of winter food and nest boxes, blue tits are on the rise across the country, with an 8 per cent increase in the population since 1979.
Other birds featuring in the Cheshire “top ten” were goldfinches, starlings and long tailed tits.
Seeing a positive change across the county, long-tailed tits were found in almost 25 per cent more Cheshire gardens in 2020 compared to previous years.
These charming birds, with distinctive pink grey and white feathers and long tail, are usually found in large flocks of up to 20 birds and often make use of garden feeders throughout the winter – so be sure to look out for them this year.
Allowing the RSPB to monitor similar bird trends across the country, the data collected during the Big Garden Birdwatch will create a ‘snapshot’ of bird numbers across the UK and how they have fared since the project began over 40 years ago.
To help with their research, the charity is asking for all those taking part to ensure they share what they’ve seen during the hour by submitting their results at rspb.org.uk/birdwatch.
Beccy Speight, the RSPB’s Chief Executive, said: "We know that for many people, garden birds provide an important connection to the wider world and bring enormous joy.
"Lockdown brought few benefits, but the last year has either started or reignited a love of nature for many people.
"There has been a broad and much needed realisation that nature is an important and necessary part of our lives especially for our mental health and wellbeing.
"But nature needs us too.
"By taking part in the Birdwatch, you are helping to build an annual snapshot of how our birdlife is doing across the UK.
"It is only by us understanding how our wildlife is faring that we can protect it.
"We know that nature is in crisis but together, we can take action to solve the problems facing nature."
What’s more, the RSPB are on hand to provide plenty of other wildlife inspired activities to take part in from home with their free Wild Challenge.
By completing fun and engaging activities ranging from bug hotels and bird boxes, to making a compost heap and drawing wildlife, participants can then log their achievements on to the RSPB Wild Challenge website and collect
bronze, silver and gold awards. To find out more, head to rspb.org.uk/wildchallenge.
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